Mickey and the Beanstalk
Mickey and the Beanstalk is a Mickey Mouse short released 27 September 1947. Though originally planned as a full-length feature, it was released as the second segment of Fun and Fancy Free. Summary A jovial land called Happy Valley, kept vibrant by a singing harp, is suddenly plagued by a severe drought and falls into turmoil and depression after the harp is stolen from its castle by a mysterious assailant nicknamed "Gruesome Gulch". The residents are driven into poverty and starvation and forced to leave. The three last residents, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, have just one loaf of bread and a single solitary bean to eat. Mickey cuts the bread into slices so ridiculously paper-thin that you could see right through them. Donald tries to kill their pet cow with an axe, but is stopped by Mickey and Goofy. Mickey then decides to sell the cow for money to buy food. Goofy and Donald are excited about eating again and begin to sing about delicious dishes to the tune of "Funiculi Funicula". Mickey returns and reveals that he traded their beloved bovine for a container of magic beans. An enraged Donald furiously throws the beans down the floor and they fall through a hole. However, the beans are truly magical. Later that night, the light of a full moon causes a beanstalk to sprout under the house and lift it far up into the sky. The next morning, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy climb the gigantic beanstalk and enter a magical kingdom of enormous scope, where they are tiny creatures compared to their surroundings. They make their way to a huge castle, where they help themselves to a sumptuous feast. There they stumble across the harp locked in a small box, as she explains that she was kidnapped by a "wicked giant." Sure enough, just then, a giant named Willie emerges from the shadows, grunting angrily but then suddenly breaking into a happy song, "Fee Fi Fo Fum", and bouncing a ball about while demonstrating amazing powers like flight, invisibility, and shapeshifting. As Willie prepares to eat lunch, he accidentally catches Mickey in his sandwich. Mickey sneezes when Willie pours pepper and tries to run away, but Willie catches him. Mickey plays palm reader and gains the childish giant's trust. Willie offers to show off his powers, and Mickey, spotting a nearby fly-swatter, asks him to change into a fly. However, Willie suggests turning into a pink bunny instead, and as he does he sees Mickey, Donald, and Goofy with the fly-swatter. Angry, Willie captures Mickey, Donald, and Goofy and locks them in the harp's chest to keep them from pulling any more tricks. In order to escape, Mickey must find the key and rescue his friends, and does so with the help of the singing golden harp, who begins singing Willie to sleep. Mickey almost alerts Willie to his presence by sneezing after falling into a box of powder in Willie's pocket, but the same powder makes Willie sneeze and he loses sight of Mickey. Mickey frees his friends and they make a break for it with the harp. However, Willie wakes up from his sleep and spots them, giving chase all the way to the beanstalk. Mickey stalls him long enough for Donald and Goofy to reach the bottom and begin sawing the beanstalk. Mickey arrives just in time to finish the job of cutting down the beanstalk, and Willie, who was climbing down, falls to Earth. The narrator finishes his story and cheers up his companion, who was crying for Willie. Just as the narrator says that Willie is a fictional character and not real, Willie himself appears, alive and well, tearing the roof off the narrator's house. Willie inquires about Mickey's whereabouts, but the narrator faints in shock while the companion tells Willie goodnight. Before the scene closes, Willie notices The Brown Derby restaurant and picks up the building searching for any sign of Mickey and since the restaurant looks like a hat, places it on his head, and stomps off with the HOLLYWOOD lights blinking in the background. Alternate Narration The original version in Fun and Fancy Free features Edgar Bergen narrating the story to Mortimer Snerd. There have been several alternate versions, each with a different narrator. The first alternate narration was that of Sterling Holloway, which originally aired on a 1955 episode of Walt Disney's anthology TV series. The particular episode later re-aired as part of the Disney's Wonderful World season during 1979-1981, which can currently be viewed at the Paley Center for Media. During the 1980s, this version was often shown prior to Dumbo on TV airings of said movie. It also aired as episode #76 of the TV show, Good Morning, Mickey! * In this version, the entire story begins and ends from inside of a book, and the ending scene with Willie searching for Mickey is cut. The opening scene where "Happy Valley" is shown being developed as a vision is absent, so the narrator begins the story by mentioning only the valley, the castle and the Golden Harp. When the giant falls to the ground at the end, his landing causes the entire book to suddenly close. The second and alternate version aired on a 1963 episode hosted by Ludwig von Drake and his companion Herman the Bootle Beetle. This version has been used for all home video releases of the standalone cartoon, with an eight-second opening title and ending credits added. A third version was hosted and narrated by Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop in a 1973 episode of The Mouse Factory. Instead of Willie stomping off through Hollywood, this version ends with Lamb Chop talking to Willie. * In this version, the story begins with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy in their desolate home, cutting the entire beginning sequence with the introduction of Happy Valley, "My, What a Happy Day", the Harp getting stolen, and the Valley falling into despair. A portion of the short was also narrated by Lynsey McLeod as Belle in the episode "Problem Solving: Ingenuity" from Sing Me a Story with Belle. Category:Shorts